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BICON 2021 - About BICON

Since 2014, the Biennial Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia (BICON) has been a leading conference focussed on the rights of children and young people without parental care (CWPC). Due to the unprecedented and unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hosting the 4th Annual BICON Conference online, with practitioners, policymakers, academics, young people with lived experience, discussing regional challenges, best practice and emerging issues related to alternative care and child rights in Asia.

More than 300 delegates from across the globe are expected to participate in BICON 2021 interactive workshops, plenaries and panel discussions to explore:

  • Strategies to address unnecessary family separation in Asia, including for children with disabilities and children on the move;
  • Regional approaches and practices to formal and informal kinship care, foster care, and guardianship;
  • Policies and practices to support children and young people leaving care;
  • Social welfare workforce development and systems strengthening; and,
  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children in alternative care, and their protection during the pandemic and other emergency responses.

Previously hosted by Udayan Care, BICONs are conceived as a regional advocacy platform to bring stakeholders working on child and youth care together for sharing, learning and connecting. The BICON 2021 is an important event for stakeholders to work together to drive care reform in the region. The conference will spotlight the results from the Day of General Discussion held in September 2021 and aim to champion emerging new practices and consider their impacts.


Register for Changemakers for Children now BICON Landing page